He was born in what is now Herefordshire, the illegitimate son of the daughter of a local king. He founded monasteries in south-east Wales, was the teacher of Saints Teilo and Samson among others, and exercised the functions of a bishop. He attended a synod in 545 and is thought to have died a few years later. As with so many Welsh saints of this period, firm dates are hard to come by: some sources put his death in the year 612. See also the article in Wikipedia.

Other saints: Saint Laurenc O'Toole (1128 - 1180)

Ireland

Also known as Lorcán Ua Tuathail, he was born at Castledermot, Kildare, Ireland. He was elected archbishop of Dublin in 1161 – he was the first elected archbishop, since his predecessor, Gregory, had already been bishop of Dublin when the city was raised to an archbishopric. He was the first Irish bishop of Dublin, and also the last one before the Reformation: Ireland was invaded by the Normans in 1170 and his successors were all Normans or Englishmen. He took part in the negotiations consequent on the invasion, and negotiated with Henry II of England. Forbidden for a while to return to Ireland after being made a papal legate by the Pope in Rome, he eventually persuaded Henry II to let him return, but he died on the journey, at Eu in Normandy.

Richard Bere, Carthusian Monk, was a nephew of Abbot Bere of Glastonbury, where he was born and attended the Abbey School. He was a priest of the London Charterhouse and was starved to death with eight other monks for upholding the Supremacy of the Pope. He died in Newgate prison on 9 August 1537.

John Gavan, Jesuit. Born London 1640, but family from Norrington, Wiltsshire. Ministered in Staffordshire. Executed in connection with Popish Plot, 20 June 1679.

John Hambley, seminary priest, Douai. Born St Mabyn near Bodmin, Cornwall, circa 1560. Arrested at Chard, released and again arrested. Executed Salisbury March 1587.

William Hart, seminary priest, Rheims, and then English College, Rome. Born Wells. Ministered in Yorkshire. After lengthy imprisonment executed, York 15 March 1583.

William Lampley, layman. Probably born at Gloucester, was tried for ‘persuading his kin to popery’. Executed at Gloucester sometime in 1588.

John Pibush was born at Thirsk and ordained at Rheims and then ministered in England. He was arrested at Moreton-in-Marsh, taken to London then brought to Gloucester. He escaped from the local jail, but was recaptured and sent back to London. After five years in jail was executed in 1601.

Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury. Born Farleigh Castle, Somerset. Daughter of Duke of Clarence. Governess to the Princess Mary, later Mary Tudor. Mother of Cardinal Reginald Pole, last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury. Executed, Tower of London 28 May 1541.

Philip Powell, monk of St Gregory’s, Douai. Born in Breconshire. Ministered for 20 years at Leigh Barton on Exmoor. Executed, Tyburn 30 June 1646.

Alexander Rawlins, seminary priest, Rheims. Rather tenuous connections with diocese. Probably born Oxford 1560. Ministered mainly in the North East. Executed, York 7 April 1595.

Stephen Rowsham, seminary priest. Born in Oxfordshire circa 1555. Took orders in the established church but converted and went to Douai Abbey. Was imprisoned in The Tower, banished but returned. Executed, Gloucester 1587.

John Sandys, seminary priest. Born in Lancashire between 1550 and 1555, studied at Oxford and Douai. Arrested in Gloucestershire. Executed 11 August 1586, Gloucester.

Richard Sergeant, seminary priest. Born in Gloucestershire in the late 1550s. Studied at Douai Abbey. Ordained at Laon in 1583. He worked on English mission for three years, arrested and tried. Executed at Tyburn, 20 April 1586.

John Storey, layman. Born Salisbury. Educated Oxford. MP for Hindon, Wiltshire. Exiled for his religion and executed for treason, Tyburn 1 June 1571.

Henry Webley, layman. Born Gloucester, circa 1558. Charged with sheltering a priest, condemned and executed in London 28 August 1588.

Richard Whiting, Abbot and monk of Glastonbury. Last of long line of abbots, probably born Wrington, Somerset. With John Thorne, treasurer of the Abbey, and Roger James, sacrist, executed on the Tor following trial at Wells, 15 November 1539.

Clifton Ordo

Other saints: The Reading Martyrs

Berkshire

Hugh Cook adopted the surname Faringdon when he became a Benedictine monk, at some time before 1500. Although Faringdon is the name of a town in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire) to the north-west of Reading, he later adopted the arms of the Cook family of Kent and so presumably had some connection with them. He is believed to have been educated within Reading Abbey, and later served as sub-chamberlain of the community. He was elected (the last) Abbot of Reading Abbey in 1520, and served as a Justice for the Peace and on various governmental commissions in the country of Berkshire between 1526 and 1538. In 1539 he was indicted for high treason, and imprisoned in the Tower of London for two months. He was taken back to the abbey and hung, drawn and quartered in front of the gatehouse on 14 November 1539 along with John Eynon (Oynon), vicar of St Giles’ in Reading and the abbot’s chief councillor, and John Rugge (Rugg, Rugke, Rogke) a prebendary of Chichester Cathedral who had retired to the abbey in Reading.

All three were beatified by Leo XIII in 1895.

Portsmouth Ordo

Other saints: All Carmelite Saints

14 Nov (where celebrated)

On this day the Carmelite Order celebrates the memory of all its saints, those known and those unknown.

Liturgical colour: green

The theological virtue of hope is symbolized by the colour green, just as the burning fire of love is symbolized by red. Green is the colour of growing things, and hope, like them, is always new and always fresh. Liturgically, green is the colour of Ordinary Time, the season in which we are being neither especially penitent (in purple) nor overwhelmingly joyful (in white).